Flexible nail strip

ABSTRACT

A strip of nails is formed of spaced and parallel nails joined together by two pairs of spaced, flexible tapes and a thin layer of adhesive. Each pair of tapes is bonded together in face-toface relation between the nail shanks and bonded or adhered to the nails. Each pair of tapes is provided with a narrow outwardly bowed portion extending along the length of the tapes which fills with adhesive to prevent the adhesive from being squeezed out from between the tapes, to provide an increased mass of adhesive for bonding to the nail shanks, and to provide a small amount of resistance to compression without affecting the ability of the strip to be rolled or folded.

United States atent [191 Mosetich et al.

[ 1 FLEXIBLE NAIL STRIP [75] lnventors: Ronald J. Mosetich, Glen Ellyn;

Joseph Mosetich, Lake Bluff, both of 111.

[73] Assignee: Duo-Fast Corporation, Franklin Park, 111.

[22] Filed: Jan. 26, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 326,742

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 90,688, Nov. 18, 1970, Pat. No.

[52] US. Cl. 206/344, 206/813 [51] Int. Cl. B6511 83/00 [58] Field of Search 206/56 DF, DIG. 18, 56 A, 206/59 R, 59 F, 59 C, 344, 345, 813;

1 1 Jan. 28, 1975 Primary Examiner-William 1. Price Assisranl ExaminerStephen Marcus Allorney, Agent, or FirmMason, Kolehmainen. Rathburn & Wyss [57] ABSTRACT A strip of nails is formed of spaced and parallel nails joined together by two pairs of spaced, flexible tapes and a thin layer of adhesive. Each pair of tapes is bonded together in face-to-face relation between the nail shanks and bonded or adhered to the nails. Each pair of tapes is provided with a narrow outwardly bowed portion extending along the length of the tapes which fills with adhesive to prevent the adhesive from being squeezed out from between the tapes, to provide an increased mass of adhesive for bonding to the nail shanks, and to provide a small amount of resistance to compression without affecting the ability of the strip to be rolled or folded.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures FLEXIBLE NAIL STRIP This application is a division of a copending application, Ser. No. 90,688, filed Nov. 18, I970, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,729,885.

This invention relates to a new and improved flexible strip of fasteners, such as nails.

A number of various types of nail strips used in fluidpowered fastener driving tools are known. As an example, US. Pat. No. 3,315,436 (Baum et al.) discloses a strip of stacked head nails which are joined by columns of plastic or adhesive material between paper tapes to provide a strip that is relatively rigid in compression to permit feeding by a bias applied to the rear end of the strip. This strip cannot be rolled or fan-folded to provide a large capacity supply for a driving tool. Other strips of nails are made of full-headed nails joined in spaced parallel positions by opposed pairs of flexible tapes joined by adhesive. These strips can be coiled, fan-folded, and even compacted to reduce the space between adjacent nails so as to provide a large capacity nail supply in magazines of reasonable volume or size. These strips, however, suffer from the disadvantage of possessing too much flexibility because particularly the points thereof can become interlocked or engaged with each other with the result that feeding problems are encountered. Further, in some strips the adhesive is squeezed from between the surfaces of the tapes that are joined in face-to-face relation with the result that the strip becomes somewhat unsightly.

Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved flexible strip of fasteners, such as full-headed nails.

Another object is to provide such a strip which, although flexible enough to permit coiling or fan-folding, also possesses some resistance to compression to prevent or minimize the possibility of adjacent nails from becoming entangled.

In accordance with these and many other objects, a flexible nail strip embodying the present invention comprises a plurality of elongated fasteners such as full-headed nails held in spaced and parallel relation by two pairs of flexible tapes applied to opposite sides of the nail shanks at spaced positions along their length. A thin layer or lamina of adhesive, such as a hot melt adhesive, is disposed between the pairs of tapes and serves to bond the tapes to opposite sides of the nail shank with each tape encircling substantially one-half of the nail shank and with the tapes bonded together in faceto-face relation in the space between adjacent nail shanks to form spacing sections or portions. A narrow rib, bead, or cavity which extends longitudinally along the tapes and is defined between the adhered tapes receives any excess adhesive when the tapes are forced together and thus provides a very narrow body of adhesive forming a column between adjacent nail shanks to provide a small amount of resistance to compression in the nail strip so as to maintain the nail shanks in the desired spaced relation without in any way interfering with the ability of the flexible strip to be coiled or fanfolded. The adhesive material between the fasteners ex tends to an indirect contact with the fasteners and joins the tapes together. In addition, this deformity extends around the shanks of the nails and provides a greater mass of adhesive for bonding the shank to the strip. Further, this bead or cavity for receiving any excess adhesive prevents the adhesive from being squeezed out from between the edges of the tape and forming an unsightly nail strip.

Many other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a strip of nails embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of one tape that can be used in making the fastener strip of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a similar fragmentary perspective view illustrating another tape.

Referring now more specifically to FIG. I of the drawings, therein is illustrated a flexible fastener strip 52 containing a plurality of individual nails 54 which embodies the present invention. The nails 54 are flexibly joined together in a spaced parallel relation in which the shanks 54A of the nails are held in generally vertical parallel positions with the full round heads 54B of the nails lying within a common plane. The individual nails are secured in this position by two flexible connectors or pairs 56, 58 of flexible tapes formed by four individual strips of flexible material or tape 60, 62, 64, and 66. These individual tapes are joined together in face-to face relation in the space between adjacent nail shanks 54A to form spacing segments or sections 52A and to the engaged faces of the nail shanks 54A by suitable adhesive.

A central longitudinally extending portion of the flexible connectors 56, 58 is provided with an outwardly bowed pocket, bead, or rib 56A, 58A in the segments 52A spaced inwardly from the tape edges which, in the manufacture of the nail strip 52, becomes filled with the adhesive. This adhesive extends beyond the pockets 56A, 58A an appreciable part of the entire width of the tapes 60, 62, 64, 66. As an example, the sectional view of the flexible connector 56 in FIG. 3 shows the adhesive body 67 forming the rib 56A, but does not illustrate the adhesive between the remainder of the tapes 60 and 62 because of the thinness of the layer. The deformation of the tapes 60, 62, 64, and 66 producing the rib or bead 56A, 58A provides a reservoir into which excess adhesive is collected and prevents this adhesive from being squeezed out beyond the tape edges when the nail strip 52 is formed. In addition, the provision of the deformations 56A, 58A provides a slight resistance to compression in the strip 52 even though the tapes 60, 62, 64, and 66 are very thin and flexible. This means that even though the strip 52 can be easily fanfolded or coiled, the likelihood of the ends of the nails 54 becoming entangled due to, for example, cocking is greatly reduced.

The production of the outward bowing or deformation of these flexible tapes also serves an additional valuable function in the area in which these tapes contact the side surfaces of the nail shanks 54A. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the deformation of these tapes during manufacture of the nail strip 52 results in slight pockets or outwardly bowed sections 56B and similar pockets in the tape pair 58 which are also filled with the adhesive material 67. As shown in FIG. 4, the portions of the tape 60, 62 and similarly the tapes 64, 66 surrounding the nail shanks 54A are substantially half of a cylinder but are somewhat egg-shaped adjacent the outermost sides of the nail shank 54A to provide the pockets 56B in which is disposed the enlarged or increased mass of adhesive 67. This increases the mass of adhesive material available to bond the tapes 60, 62, 64, 66 to the nail shanks 54A and is of particular advantage when the adhesive 67 is a hot melt adhesive. More particularly, the adhesive 67 is applied to' the nails 54 in a warmed or heated state, and the adherence of the adhesive to the nail shanks 54A is improved because the increased mass slows the cooling of this adhesive on contact with the metal shanks 54A which serves as a heat sink.

Although the flexible strips or tapes 60, 62, 64, and 66 are shown in FIGS. 1-4 of the drawings as comprising only a single layer, these tapes preferably are constructed as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings. In the embodiment shown in H0. 5, these tapes comprise an outer lamina 60A ofa plastic material such as a very thin film of polyethylene to the inner surface of which is bonded a lamina of paper 608. The paper 608 provides very good adherence when the adhesive 67 used is of the preferred hot melt type, and the flexibility and strength of the plastic lamina 60A permits a very thin layer of paper 608 to be used. Similarly, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the outer lamina of the tapes 60, 62, 64, and 66 is a polyester film, such as MYLAR, to the inner surface of which is bonded or on the inner surface of which a surface working operation is performed to provide a layer 60D which possesses improved or adequate adherence to hot melt adhesive. A material such as MYLAR without surface treatment has been determined to provide, in certain applications, a less than satisfactory bond with the hot melt adhesive.

The nail strips 52 can be made using the method and apparatus shown and described in the above-identified application. In general, the nails 54 are arranged in their desired positions relative to each other and moved along a path of movement. One or both of the tapes 60, 62 and 64, 66 in each pair is provided with a bead of adhesive material. The adhesive material used can be of any suitable type, but preferably comprises, as indicated above, a polyester base hot melt material that is applied in a fluid or molten state at a temperature of around 300 F. This material is resistant to cracking or embrittlement to temperatures below l 5 F. and does not soften or become tacky at temperatures as high as 170 F.

The tapes 60, 62, 64, 66 are then deformed and forced against the nail shanks 54A and against each other to form the two unified pairs of tapes or flexible connectors 56, 58 with the adhesive 67 joining the nail shanks 54A and the tapes with the nails 54 in the desired spaced parallel positions. The deformation of the tapes 60, 62, 64, and 66 produces the bulges or pockets 56B containing the increased quantity of adhesive 67 immediately adjacent the nail shank 54A to improve the bond between the tapes and the nail shanks. Further, and although not illustrated as a discrete layer in FlGS. 2 and 4, a portion of the adhesive 67 is squeezed I out of the pockets 56B and disposed between the tapes and the nail shanks 54A both above and below the pockets or bulges 56B.

This movement of the tapes 60, 62 and 64, 66 together also forms the deformed or bulged sections 56A, 588 containing the increased quantity of adhesive 67 (FIG. 3). There is, however, in addition to the adhesive 67 contained within the deformations, adhesive that is extruded or squeezed upwardly or downwardly from these deformations to be disposed between the tapes 60, 62 and 64, 66 so that these tapes are joined together along an appreciable portion of their width. The quantity of adhesive applied is such that although no surplus adhesive is extruded beyond the edges of the tapes 60, 62, 64, 66, these tapes are secured through at least a portion of their widths above and below the pockets or ribs 56A, 58A. By controlling such factors as the depth of the deformations and the quantity of applied adhesives 67, the extent of the width of the tapes 60, 62, 64, and 66 joined by the adhesive can be controlled.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art which will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A strip of spaced and elongated fasteners that is both flexible to permit coiling and folding and possesses some resistance to lengthwise applied forces of compression comprising a plurality of fasteners disposed in generally spaced and parallel positions,

a pair of flexible and elongated tape-like elements disposed opposite each other on opposite sides of the elongated fasteners spaced from the ends thereof,

and a layer of adhesive materialdisposed between the elements and joining the elements to each other and joining the elements to the fasteners into a single joined strip including spacing sections between the fasteners formed by the face-to-face joined elements and openings between the spacing sections in which the fasteners are secured, the portions of the joined elements forming the spacing section having opposed offset areas spaced inwardly from the edges of the elements and extending longitudinally with respect to the elements to define a longitudinally extending cavity between the fasteners filled with the adhesive material, said adhesive material between the fasteners extending to and in direct contact with said fasteners whereby the elements are joined together.

2. The fastener strip set forth in claim 1 in which the element is formed of an outer plastic layer and an inner paper layer to which the layer of adhesive adheres.

3. The fastener strip set forth in claim 1 in which the adhesive material is a hot melt adhesive,

and the element is a polyester film with an adhesive receiving surface treated to form a bond with the hot melt adhesive.

4. The fastener strip set forth in claim 1 in which the longitudinally extending cavities are discontinous such that the cavities extend between said fasteners but do not continuously extend over said fasteners.

6 5. The fastener strip set forth in claim 1 in which the filled with the adhesive material, whereby the eleadhesive material does not extend to the longitudinal ments are joined to the fasteners. edges of the elements. 7. The fastener strip set forth in claim 6 in which the 6. The fastener strip set forth in claim 1 including adhesive material substantially filling the pocket an outwardly bulged pocket in the element adjacent 5 contacts the fasteners to bond the fasteners to the elethe fasteners and spaced inwardly from the edges ments.

of the elements, said pocket being substantially 

1. A strip of spaced and elongated fasteners that is both flexible to permit coiling and folding and possesses some resistance to lengthwise applied forces of compression comprising a plurality of fasteners disposed in generally spaced and parallel positions, a pair of flexible and elongated tape-like elements disposed opposite each other on opposite sides of the elongated fasteners spaced from the ends thereof, and a layer of adhesive material disposed between the elements and joining the elements to each other and joining the elements to the fasteners into a single joined strip including spacing sections between the fasteners formed by the face-to-face joined elements and openings between the spacing sections in which the fasteners are secured, the portions of the joined elements forming the spacing section having opposed offset areas spaced inwardly from the edges of the elements and extending longitudinally with respect to the elements to define a longitudinally extending cavity between the fasteners filled with the adhesive material, said adhesive material between the fasteners extending to and in direct contact with said fasteners whereby the elements are joined together.
 2. The fastener strip set forth in claim 1 in which the element is formed of an outer plastic layer and an inner paper layer to which the layer of adhesive adheres.
 3. The fastener strip set forth in claim 1 in which the adhesive material is a hot melt adhesive, and the element is a polyester film with an adhesive receiving surface treated to form a bond with the hot melt adhesive.
 4. The fastener strip set forth in claim 1 in which the longitudinally extending cavities are discontinous such that the cavities extend between said fasteners but do not continuously extend over said fasteners.
 5. The fastener strip set forth in claim 1 in which the adhesive material does not extend to the longitudinal edges of the elements.
 6. The fastener strip set forth in claim 1 including an outwardly bulged pocket in the element adjacent the fasteners and spaced inwardly from the edges of the elements, said pocket being substantially filled with the adhesive material, whereby the elements are joined to the fasteners.
 7. The fastener strip set forth in claim 6 in which the adhesive material substantially filling the pocket contacts the fasteners to bond the fasteners to the elements. 